Ranitidine
Information about Ranitidine
Ranitidine uses
Ranitidine is used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (acid reflux) and peptic ulcer disease.
How ranitidine works
Ranitidine is a H2 blocker (antacid). It works by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach which helps in relief of acid related indigestion and heartburn.
Common side effects of ranitidine
Headache, Constipation, Diarrhea, Sleepiness, Tiredness
Content Details
Last updated on:
16 Jan 2019 | 01:10 PM (IST)
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Expert advice for Ranitidine
- Ranitidine is a well tolerated and safe medicine with a very low incidence of side effects.
- Take Ranitidine before going to bed if you are taking this medicine once a day as it is very effective in controlling stomach acid released in the midnight.
- If you are also taking an antacid, take it two hours before or after taking Ranitidine.
- Avoid taking soft drinks, citrus fruits like orange and lemon, which can irritate the stomach and increase acid secretion.
- Inform your doctor if you do not feel better after taking Ranitidine for two weeks or 14 days as you may be suffering from some other problems.
- Inform your doctor if you have ever been diagnosed with kidney or liver disease. Dose of your medicine may need to be adjusted.
Frequently asked questions for Ranitidine
Ranitidine
Q. Is Ranitidine an over the counter (OTC) drug?
No, Ranitidine is not an over-the-counter product. It is a prescription medicine and is available only when prescribed by a physician.
Q. Can the use of Ranitidine cause constipation?
Yes, the use of Ranitidine can cause constipation. It is one of the common side effect seen with Ranitidine. Taking high fiber diet and plenty of fluids can help in relieving constipation and can also help in decreasing acidity.
Q. Is Ranitidine an antihistaminic drug?
Yes, Ranitidine is an antihistaminic drug. It acts on histamine receptors in the stomach and blocks the action of a chemical messenger histamine (causes acid secretion in stomach) and hence decreases the acid production in the stomach.
Q. Is Ranitidine safe?
Yes, Ranitidine is safe if used at prescribed doses for the prescribed duration as advised by the doctor. However, there are some very common side effects that you can experience at the doses advised like nausea, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and flatulence.
Q. Does Ranitidine interfere with H. pylori test results?
A significant number of patients infected with Helicobacter pylori can have negative test results if they are using Ranitidine as it interferes with the urea breath test, which is done to identify H. Pylori infection.
Q. Does Ranitidine cause glaucoma?
Ranitidine itself does not cause glaucoma. However, there are some rare reports that Ranitidine can increase the intraocular pressure in patients who have glaucoma. Inform your doctor in case you have glaucoma or high intraocular pressure before taking this medicine.
Q. Can Ranitidine be used to treat gastritis?
Yes, Ranitidine can be used for the short-term treatment of gastritis. It helps by decreasing the amount of acid released into the stomach and relieving stomach pain and acid reflux.
Q. Can Vitamin B along with Ranitidine?
Yes, Vitamin B can be taken along with Ranitidine. No drug-drug interactions have been reported between this medicine and vitamin B.
Q. Why Ranitidine is given along with vitamin B12?
Long term use of Ranitidine can cause vitamin B12 deficiency as it decreases the acid secretion in the stomach which is required for the absorption of Vitamin B12. To prevent this deficiency, vitamin B12 may be advised by your doctor along with this medicine.
Q. Can a patient with hepatitis C take Ranitidine?
Yes, a patient of hepatitis C can take Ranitidine, however, this should be taken under medical supervision. Ranitidine belongs to the group of drugs called H2 blockers which have been seen to increase the risk of hepatic encephalopathy in hepatitis C patients. So, this group of medicines should be used with caution in patients with underlying liver disease.
Q. Can I take Vitamin D along with Ranitidine?
Yes, Vitamin D can be taken with Ranitidine.
Q. Can the use of Ranitidine cause headache?
Headache is reported as one of the common side effects of Ranitidine. Inform your doctor in case you experience headache for a prolonged duration while taking Ranitidine.
Q. What is the role of Ranitidine in critically ill patients?
Ranitidine may be used in critically ill patients to decrease stomach acid secretion and lower the risk of acid aspiration into the lungs. It also helps in decreasing stomach ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding in these patients.
Q. What foods should be avoided when you are taking Ranitidine?
You should preferably avoid foods that cause acidity and heartburn as they would aggravate your disease condition, for example: fried foods, prepared in butter or oil, fat rich foods, tomato-based foods and juices, caffeinated drinks like cola, tea, drinks from citrus fruits like lemon water or orange juice and alcohol-containing drinks.
Q. Can Ranitidine be used for reflux esophagitis?
Yes, Ranitidine is effective in the treatment of reflux esophagitis.
Q. Why is Ranitidine given with cancer drugs?
Ranitidine may be used for multiple reasons in cancer patients. It can lower stomach acid volume in patients undergoing chemotherapy to prevent aspiration and lower the risk of stomach ulceration and bleeding. According to some studies, Ranitidine can potentiate white blood cell against cancer cells and can be helpful in the treatment of cancer.
Q. Does Ranitidine treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
Ranitidine is not routinely used for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is given if there is associated dyspepsia or increased stomach acid secretion. IBS is managed with a combination of antispasmodics (to relieve stomach pain), laxatives (to relieve constipation), and anti motility drugs (to relieve diarrhea).
Q. Is Ranitidine used to treat nausea?
Ranitidine is used for the treatment of acidity, heartburn, intestinal ulcers and stomach ulcers and can help in providing relief in nausea that may happen due to acid reflux. It is not used to treat nausea due to any other cause. Rather, nausea is one of the most common side effects of Ranitidine.
Q. What is the benefit of taking Ranitidine with pantoprazole?
Both Ranitidine and pantoprazole lower gastric acid secretion, however, they work by different mechanisms. If you have been advised to take pantoprazole, you can also take Ranitidine initially for rapid relief of heartburn and acid reflux as pantoprazole may take a few days to show its effect and provide relief.
Q. Can I take Ranitidine with pain killers?
Yes, Ranitidine can be taken with painkillers. Ranitidine can help to prevent painkillers induced gastritis and stomach ulcers by decreasing the production of acid in the stomach. Moreover, there are no clinically significant interactions of Ranitidine with painkillers.
Q. What are the serious side effects associated with the use of Ranitidine?
Some serious side effects associated with the use of Ranitidine are bone marrow hypoplasia (decreased formation of blood cell components), anaphylactic shock (severe allergic reactions) sinus bradycardia (lowering of heart rate) and acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).
Q. Why does Ranitidine cause diarrhea?
Use of Ranitidine lowers the natural stomach acid which normally helps to kill bacteria. So, use of Ranitidine leads to overgrowth of the harmful bacteria like clostridium difficile which can cause diarrhea. This is known as clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD). Inform your doctor if you have loose stools many times in a day and for many days with stomach cramps and fever.
Q. Is Ranitidine effective?
Ranitidine would be effective only if used for the right indication in the dose and for the duration as advised by the doctor. In case you do not find any change in your disease condition while taking this medicine, please talk to your doctor. Do not change the dose or stop taking the medicine without consulting your doctor.
Q. Is Ranitidine useful in the prevention of painkiller (NSAID) induced gastric ulcers?
Yes, Ranitidine is useful for the prevention of painkiller (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug - NSAID) induced gastric ulcers. These may cause dull pain in the stomach, sudden weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting or bloating. Avoid stress and spicy foods as they can make your symptoms worse.
Q. Can I smoke while taking Ranitidine?
It is better to avoid cigarette smoking when you are taking Ranitidine. As studies have shown that the effectiveness of Ranitidine is lower in smokers compared to non-smokers. Moreover, smoking may add to gastric problems leading to more production of gastric acid.
Q. Can the use of Ranitidine cause iron deficiency?
Yes, use of Ranitidine can cause iron deficiency and a decrease in hemoglobin levels as it decreases the acidic environment of the stomach needed for the absorption of iron. However, there are no recommendations on the regular monitoring of iron levels or taking iron supplements when the patient is taking Ranitidine but you can maintain good dietary nutrition so that no deficiency occurs.
Q. Is there any known role of Ranitidine before surgery?
Ranitidine is given as a part of pre-anesthetic medication before surgery to decrease the stomach acid secretion so that stomach acid is not aspirated into the lungs during surgery as this may complicate or delay the procedure.
Q. Does Ranitidine cause flatulence (gas or bloating)?
Flatulence (gas) has been reported as a common side effect of Ranitidine. Although it would be mild to moderate in nature and it goes away once you stop taking Ranitidine.